MANILA, Dec. 2 -- The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Quezon City Chapter (IBP-QC) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to help alleviate the issue of penal congestion in the Philippines.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and IBP-QC President Rowell Ilagan signed the MOA in a ceremony held at the Old Hall of Justice Building in Quezon City, highlighting the commitment of both organizations to improve the penal system and the lives of inmates.

In a statement, Catapang said the collaboration aligns with the broader efforts spearheaded by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Supreme Court to address the urgent issue of overcrowding within penitentiaries.

Catapang sai...